This faience pot, designed in theory to hold water in which to dip a brush, also represented a sign of submission to the vizier Paser, head of the administration of Upper Egypt during the early reign of Ramesses II: any zealous scribe who recited the offering formula on behalf of his superior would receive a divine reward in return.

A reward for a pious act

This truncated cone-shaped pot, inscribed with a column and three lines of hieroglyphs, was designed to hold water for diluting ink, but more especially for pouring a few drops prior to starting work, while reciting the meal formula on behalf of Paser (mayor of Thebes and vizier in the early reign of Ramesses II): "Any scribe who writes with this pot, who uses it to pour water, and recites (the formula) 'May the king grant the offering of a thousand loaves of bread and jars of beer to the person of his Excellency the noble overseer of the great chamberlains of the Lord of the Two Lands, overseer of the City, the vizier Paser' will be favored by Thoth, Seshat, and the Beloved who listens (to prayers)!" As was often the case with texts of this type, the reader's willingness was stimulated by the prospect of reward—the favor of the gods in this instance.

The overseer and the gods

The "Beloved who listens" was doubtless Amun-Ra, whose sympathetic ear was often called upon. The other gods were Thoth, "Lord of hieroglyphs," and his secretary Seshat, both of whom were renowned as specialists of books and writing; it was natural to invoke them as Paser, vizier of Upper Egypt, headed the administration of the southern half of the country. As the Egyptian administration consisted entirely of scribes, the gods would be delighted to have this legion of civil servants in submission to them…